SEN. BROWN ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $630,000 IN NEW FEDERAL RESOURCES TO IMPROVE COLUMBUS AND CIRCLEVILLE AIRPORTS – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded new federal resources to two central Ohio airports. The Ohio State University Airport was awarded $452,431 to repair the pavement on the T-hangar taxiway and the east apron. Pickaway County Memorial Airport in Circleville was awarded $179,550 to update the airport master plan study to show current and future needs of the airport.

“This federal investment is great news for the region and will enhance safety for these airports,” Brown said. “These improvements will go a long way in sustaining travel in and out of the airport for area residents and businesses.”

BROWN ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $18.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CREDIT FOR OHIO SMALL BUSINESSES AND MANUFACTURERS – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, announced the availability of $18,743,498 in new federal funding to help Ohio small business and manufacturers grow operations and create jobs by increasing access to available credit. The funding will be made available through the U.S. Treasury Department’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a program Brown worked to include as part of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.

“Small businesses and manufacturers are the backbone of Ohio’s economy,” Brown said. “Over the last four years, the State Small Business Capital Initiative has driven more than $115 million in private investment and supported nearly 7,000 jobs at Ohio’s small businesses. These new funds will give more small businesses the capital they need to expand and grow Ohio’s workforce.”

While serving as chairman of the Economic Policy subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Brown held a series of hearings on increasing credit for small businesses and manufacturers. Brown was also a strong supporter of the Small Business Jobs Act, aimed at helping small business owners access more private capital to finance an expansion or hire new workers. Because many Ohio small businesses are in the manufacturing industry, they require higher loan limits due to higher capital costs in the industry.

“American uncoated paper workers are in dire need of relief from these unfairly subsidized and undersold imports that hurt Ohio jobs,” Portman stated. “I’m pleased with today’s ruling and will continue my push to ensure that Ohio manufacturers and workers are able to compete on a level playing field.”

The ruling is the second important victory in the case. In June, Portman welcomed a DOC preliminary ruling on unfairly subsidized imports from China and Indonesia. These rulings follow a letter written by Portman and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) who expressed strong support of the ITC’s preliminary phase investigations that found evidence that the imports in question are dumped at significant margins and that imports from China and other countries benefit from a wide array of government subsidies. That letter follows up on efforts last year to help other Ohio paper workers facing threats.

Earlier this year, Portman and Brown announced that their bipartisan Leveling the Playing Field Act was signed into law. This bill will give U.S. companies and workers – like the paper industry – new tools to fight against unfair trade practices.